Rewinding Kansas City win

August 25, 2008|Posted by Omar Kelly at 6:11 AM

John Beck and Josh McCown are no longer battling for the Dolphins starting quarterback spot. They are battling within themselves to stay positive in this difficult situation as the team's passed over quarterbacks.

It's clear that Chad Pennington is the Dolphins starter, and Chad Henne is being groomed for the future.

While I still believe that four quarterbacks can easily be kept on the Dolphins 53-man roster, there's nothing I'd personally like more than to see John Beck get traded at some point this season, allowed to have a fresh start with a new team that believes in him.

?I believe that it?s going to continue,? Beck said, referring to his career. ?I believe that things are going to go well for me. Regardless of the mountain I have in front of me, and the adversity that stands before me. Regardless of how big that may seem. For me, I know I?m going to do whatever it takes to get over it.?

Last season the mob (THAT'S YOU) demanded he play when he wasn't ready. Cam Cameron caved into those demands, and now you are all turning your back on a quarterback you had a hand in breaking.

Despite what many thing, I like Beck as a person, and want to see him do good. As a believer I love the message be brings, and the walk he's on. As a quarterback, Beck does have talent, but it's not made for this system, and he's not made for these gruff coaches.

Now onto the observations from rewinding Saturday's impressive win over the Chiefs.

Here is my initial take from the game, but this one will go a little deeper.

Patrick Cobbs must be a Jamaican because he's got about 12 jobs for this team. He's presently the third down back, a returner on kickoffs, a flyer, and just about everything else on the special teams unit. I wonder if they'll have him holding for field goals soon.

What's impressive about Cobbs is that he's getting better at each of his jobs. During the opening kickoff he fielded a ball 6-yards deep in the endzone and brought it out to the 34 thanks to a key block from Jalen Parmele. I'd say Cobbs is safe for now, but he better keep hustling because there will be plenty of talented tailbacks on the open market in five days.

Ted Ginn Jr. should be giving out thank you notes to Reggie Torbor, Cobbs, Chris Crocker and Keith Davis for the wall they set up on the left end of the field on that 59-yard punt returned for a touchdown. Kansas City tried to pin Ginn in on the right side but he has the long speed to reach what his unit had beautifully set up. For that return, special team coach John Bonamego gets a gold-star because that was 70 percent coaching, 30 percent Ginn. Now that the special team's first unit is out there we're finally starting to see the benefits on the field.

Since I mentioned Crocker and Davis, this is probably a good time to talk about the safeties. Renaldo Hill, last year's starting free safety, isn't all the way back from his ACL tear, but I think his interception proves that he deserves a spot on the 53-man roster. That's why I suspect the Dolphins will keep five safeties on the 53-man roster. After all, the Dolphins did go through nine safeties last season. Safeties are also big contributors to special teams.

Since we're talking about special teams, this would be a good time to mention that Dan Carpenter still needs plenty of work on his kickoffs. His first kickoff of the game landed at the 12-yard line, and it had no hang-time. Fortunately for him, it was re-kicked because of a penalty and his second opportunity landed on the 4-yard line. But even that kickoff would have gone out of bounds if the returner hadn't fielded it. The rest of his kickoffs during Saturday's game were just so-so.

Justin Smiley is the best pulling guard the Dolphins have. On a couple of the Dolphins bigger runs in the first half he was the lead blocker in the second level. Donald Thomas is getting better at pulling, but he's still a work in progress. Speaking of the offensive line, Shawn Murphy and Ikechuku Ndukwe, two players I've been riding for weeks, deserve all the credit for Parmele's long run because the hole they opened on the left side kept Parmele from being touched for the first 60 yards.

If Parmele had applied a stiff arm to the defender who brought him down he probably would have scored on the play. Parmele admitted after the game his coaches have been riding him for weeks about applying that stiff arm, and to his disappointment he still didn't get it done.

Matt Roth is really starting to grow on me as a stand-up outside linebacker. The former defensive end was abusing the Chiefs tight ends and fullbacks on pass rushing plays. If only his alligator arms were six inches longer he'd probably be more effective at bringing down quarterbacks he's got in his grasp. Last week it was David Garrard he couldn't bring down (but was credited with the sack). This week it was Brodie Croyle who escaped him.